Taming Your Inner Brat

“Why did I say that?” “I can’t believe I ate all that!” “What was I thinking?” We’ve all asked these questions of ourselves at one time or another. Every one of us has said or done something that we later regret, even though we know better. And we’re likely to do it over and over again.

There are specific reasons why we repeat such patterns. The reasons are embodied in a concept called the “inner brat.” Not a psychiatric diagnosis, this inner brat is nevertheless responsible for getting us into trouble with ourselves and others. People with a strong inner brat lash out at others; they fall into addictive patterns of eating, drinking, or smoking; they get involved in affairs or end up in self-defeating cycles. They don’t acknowledge blame or responsibility for what goes wrong in their lives. And despite how they may appear to others, they are usually unhappy with themselves.

If you have any of the following problems, you may be suffering from an overactive inner brat:

Taming Your Inner Brat takes you on an exploration of the “inner brat” in all of us. It explains the psychological sources of the inner brat, rooted in early childhood, and why bratty thoughts, feelings and behaviors persist. The book also addresses social and cultural conditions that encourage the self-centeredness and sense of entitlement upon which the inner brat thrives.

The inner brat takes on many forms or “personae.” The inner brat is not always recognizable. But its destructive effects are immediately apparent: bad habits, short fuses, poor impulse control, and chronic procrastination are just a few of the products of the inner brat.

You will learn how to recognize the inner brat, and acquire specific strategies and skills to bring it under control. These are based on the latest research from experts in the field.

This book is about personal responsibility. We are not victims of our own impulses, addictions or bad memories. No longer can we say “The devil made me do it,” or “It’s my parents’ fault.”Taming Your Inner Brat shows you how to view yourself objectively, to bring your problems into manageable perspective, and to make changes that last.

Table of Contents

1. An Inner Brat?!! Who, Me?

2. The Inner Brat in Action

3. Face It–It IS Your Fault

4. The Inner Brat and the Forces Within Us

5. When the Forces Are Out of Balance: Impulsiveness

6. Narcissism: The Basis of Brat Dominance

7. How Strong is Your Inner Brat?

8. The Many Personae of the Inner Brat

9. Common Characteristics and Problems among the Various Brat Personae

10. How to Identify Your Inner Brat: Signs that you Inner Brat is in Control

11. Circumstances That Give Your Inner Brat the Edge: How to Protect Yourself